9472 - Attack on Weathertop

[Alcarin]

IMHO LOTR is nowhere close to being as influential on pop culture as Star Wars.

 

Who told you there is only POP culture out there?

[stephen_rockefeller]

What else is there?

[Alcarin]

What else is there?

 

I wont lay it to your hands/eyes... use google he knows much more than me actually...

 

However you want to turn it around LOTR pretty much influenced the whole line of games, series, books that came out in 20th and 21st century..... remember anytime you see an elf, troll, Orc, wizard, and so on and on (listing for 15 minutes) it is a very high chance it came out thanks to LOTR and J.R.R: Tolkien 

[icephoenix181]

IMHO LOTR is nowhere close to being as influential on pop culture as Star Wars.

 

I guess it depends on what part of "culture" you are looking at.

Tolkien actually invented Orcs and his image of Elves is what most people now see Elves

as looking like (being tall with pointy ears).

 

So Lord of the Rings vastly influenced video games and board games from Warcraft, to Warhammer, to Dungeon and Dragons,

to Everquest, to Morrowind/Skyrim, etc.

 

Basically anything in the "fantasy" genre of books, games or movies likely has copied things from Lord of the Rings.

 

Tbh, other than being highly popular, I don't see what Star Wars has brought to the table in terms of influencing the science fiction media other than

maybe light swords and use of special effects.

 

Btw, I was a Star Wars fan since I was a child and didn't even know Lotr existed till the first movie came out but facts are facts. I did however know about Orcs, Goblins, Elves etc before the first movie (not that they came from Lotr, but games I played had them in it).

[stephen_rockefeller]

I wont lay it to your hands/eyes... use google he knows much more than me actually...

 

However you want to turn it around LOTR pretty much influenced the whole line of games, series, books that came out in 20th and 21st century..... remember anytime you see an elf, troll, Orc, wizard, and so on and on (listing for 15 minutes) it is a very high chance it came out thanks to LOTR and J.R.R: Tolkien

Took your advice and this is what I found http://www.theforce.net/humor/topten/ct10_swisbetterthanlotr.asp

[lowillsw]

The issue with LOTR is the lack of sex appeal and technology in comparison to Star Wars. While it's fine and dandy a bunch of midgets, elfs, and Orc are hacking each other to pieces, you have less flexiblilty with Lego sets. LOTR have a much better storyine but have a tougher time with popularity when it comes to Lego.

[jeff_14]

OK, I love both franchises, Star Wars more than LOTR, but seriously, how is this even a question? LOTR was the most popular book of the 20th Century. Do you think there would even be "magical wizards" like Obi-wan and Yoda without Gandalf coming first? That the kind of fanbase that made Star Wars what it was would have existed if LOTR hadn't created them? It comes down to this - From a certain point of view, without LOTR there could not have been a Star Wars. The reverse is certainly not true.

[icephoenix181]

The issue with LOTR is the lack of sex appeal and technology in comparison to Star Wars. While it's fine and dandy a bunch of midgets, elfs, and Orc are hacking each other to pieces, you have less flexiblilty with Lego sets. LOTR have a much better storyine but have a tougher time with popularity when it comes to Lego.

 

Not so sure about this as one of Lego's most popular lines is essentially the same exact thing that Lotr is, Castle.

 

Castle is about olden times with no tech and possibly goblins, wizards, dragons, etc.

 

You would think if they can make so many castle sets, making Lotr sets wouldn't be an issue.

[jeff_14]

Not sure how anyone can compare Star Wars to Lord of the Rings.  For the guys that grew up when the Star Wars movies were around, dudes are going gaga and see Leia as a sex symbol.  Arwen is not even close to Leia.  That's why Star Wars have staying power in comparison to LOTR.  If the LOTR sets is as popular as Star Wars, Lego would pump out 9-10 sets per wave.

This is hilarious. Star Wars owes its staying power to the sex symbol that is Carrie Fisher?!?!?!? Please. The metal bikini scene was hot and all but there were 2 entire movies before this happened that established that people wanted to see Star Wars for more than this. At its most basic it revolutionized what made a popular movie. The special effects, the connection to mythology, the good vs evil storyline, the cool characters and vehicles. I'd say its staying power owed more to Han Solo and the Falcon in the minds of its target audience than Leia ever did. 

[tonysbricks]

Sorry star wars nerds, but SW was heavily influenced by lotr:

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_Star_Wars#History

 

(search for "lord")

 

lotr nerd OUT

[icephoenix181]

Sorry star wars nerds, but SW was heavily influenced by lotr:

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_Star_Wars#History

 

(search for "lord")

 

lotr nerd OUT

 

I guess this sheds some light on the "strike me down and I will only become more powerful!" if Obi Wan was based off of Gandalf

 

LOL

[jeff_14]

Sorry star wars nerds, but SW was heavily influenced by lotr:

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_Star_Wars#History

 

(search for "lord")

 

lotr nerd OUT

Indeed. In fact Star Wars was influenced by a "great many things", including LOTR. Anyone ever read the New Gods comics from the 1970s, about the secret son of Darkseid (Dark Side, get it) wielding the astro FORCE against his father's empire, which empire was based on a completely mechanical planet (much like a certain Death Star). Not to mention the many classical mythological elements, etc.

 

Which is all fine and dandy. LOTR did not spring out of Tolkien's mind free of other influences either. Nothing truly does exist in a vacuum. Both are great stories with their unique inventiveness. I am simply grateful to have had the good fortune to have had both influences feature prominently in my life. I grew up with Star Wars, then came to Lord of the Rings, and by 1999 I was a happy camper, with Star Wars, LOTR, and Matrix movies appearing pretty much every year for a span of 6 years. And now I have the Hobbit movies and more superhero movies than I ever dared hope for helping me pass the time until the next Star Wars movie, which movie has not only revived Star Wars but will most likely guarantee it continues for a very long time. I honestly thought we were done with Star Wars movies after 2005. Now I get to see new ones in a theatre for the first time with my son. What a wonderful world.

[@rtisan]

Sorry star wars nerds, but SW was heavily influenced by lotr:

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_Star_Wars#History

 

(search for "lord")

 

lotr nerd OUT

Ya, I think that about quashes any arguments of SW vs LOTR.   Starwars is great, I`m a big fan (yes, I am, but not of very many of the Lego sets), but before that, I`m a Tolkien fanboy at heart. There is no comparison in terms of SW vs LOTR books, obviously, but in terms of the films, I`d sooner watch Peter Jacksons` take on Middle Earth than Lucas` on his own world. Both are great, but one is better. 

[Spartikis]

Lucas has often cited The Lord of the Rings series as a major influence on Star Wars. Lucas learned from Tolkien how to handle the delicate stuff of myth. Tolkien wrote that myth and fairytale seem to be the best way to communicate morality - hints for choosing between right and wrong - and in fact that may be their primary purpose. Lucas has also acknowleged in interviews that the Gandalf and the Witch-king characters in the Lord of the Rings influenced the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader characters respectively.

 

 

I love starwars and all (even despite their recent sell out ways) but just about all popular stories from SW to harry potter, diablo and zelda series of video games, dungeon and dragons, you name it they all trace their roots back to the LOTR.

[jaisonline]

Anyway so why is this set appreciating slowly...

[glenbart]

Available for less than a year on the Lego website in the U.S, stores still have loads, when you buy off eBay a seller will tell you the box is in excellent condition then it arrives with a huge whole in it. When it's still available elsewhere and being discounted it has really gone eol yet. Also consider, for $20 more you could of got mines of Moria with the better figs so obviously that's going to shift quicker. Here in the u.k weather top was actually more expensive to buy most of the time than mines of Moria. Weathertop looks like not much Lego for your money but there are 430 pieces and the large pieces are 2 excellent horses.

[glenbart]

Correction " hasn't " not has gone eol.

[glenbart]

Amazon uk has only just sold out its last of the weathertop at

[glenbart]

This set is now actually oos everywhere in the u.k, could turn out very good if collectors passed it by.

[Anakinisvader]

The only thing that made lord of the rings an ok movie is that Count Dooku was in it. bunch of hairy footed little freaks running around with a spooky ring - whatever Anyhoo, LOTR LEGO was either way over produced or there just isn't enough interest.

[Ed Mack]

LOTR lacks any sort of major vehicles and rightly so. LEGO and vehicle builds are the winning combo. Love both series, but LOTR is by far the more polished and well done movie series. I'm looking forward to JJ Abrams giving the STAR WARS movies a fresh and modern look.

[glenbart]

I think LOTR is the most overhyped of any theme but consider it a good long term investment as they could end the theme soon and never remake it, POTC, ok, it hasn't got a cult following going back to the 70's, but much the same there's been a few movies and it's been made into Lego. I have 5 LOTR sets, 2 hobbit but will not be buying anymore unless something convinces me otherwise, LOTR merchandise you would get better options elsewhere, the original 70's pewter figs sell for thousands, helms deep though, best Lego castle ever?????? Answer, yes, by a very long way.

[icephoenix181]

I think LOTR is the most overhyped of any theme but consider it a good long term investment as they could end the theme soon and never remake it, POTC, ok, it hasn't got a cult following going back to the 70's, but much the same there's been a few movies and it's been made into Lego. I have 5 LOTR sets, 2 hobbit but will not be buying anymore unless something convinces me otherwise, LOTR merchandise you would get better options elsewhere, the original 70's pewter figs sell for thousands, helms deep though, best Lego castle ever?????? Answer, yes, by a very long way.

 

How much official Lotr merch has there been over the years? For one, I think up until now it has been pretty scarce? Infact, I would say old merch selling for thousands should be an indicator of what possible hot Lotr items being produced now might be worth in the future.

 

Consider this, is there any POTC merch selling in the thousands? I honestly don't know but I would wager POTC barely scratches the surface of popularity when compared with LOTR.

 

Another factor going for LOTR over POTC is that LOTR is a huge part of nerd culture. While we may not like that word, nerds or whatever you call them are essentially who are going to be buying an EOL lego set years from now. They are the ones doing so with Star Wars sets right?

 

I don't think POTC is that big among nerds. I as a nerd myself definitely don't care that much about POTC. To me, it was just a disney movie that was ok. I know a girl who loves POTC because she thinks Depp is hot, but other than her, I don't know anyone who cares about them beyond the movies.

 

But I do know that nerds love fantasy( magic the gathering, dungeons and dragons, world of warcraft), and they love Lotr, they love Star Wars, they love Superheroes and they are the ones who will be the big collectors with high paying jobs who can afford a $400 Lego Set. And if there are nerds willing to pay thousands for old Lotr merch right now, there will probably be many more in future willing to thanks to the movies giving it just a little bit more nudge from huge cult following to actual popular culture (that which doesn't consist of just nerds alone). I say that because I honestly didn't know it existed till the movie came out. Of course I never played D&D either, which likely would have led me to read the books.

That or larping which would also probably had also led to discovering Lotr.

 

Basically I see it this way.

 

Was there a huge amount of people dressing up as Jack Sparrow for the premiere of Pirates movies?

not that I know of. Some people probably did but was it alot?

 

 

Was there a huge amount of people dressing up as Gandalf for the Lotr movies?

Yes. Just like for Star Wars and Superhero movies, people love to cosplay to these, because it is nerds having fun with other nerds.

 

Thus Lotr crosses the scope of what makes Star Wars and Superhero sets have great gains. I mean, we already know Star Wars sets can have huge gains. We already know Batman and Spiderman sets can have huge gains.

What do they have in common? Nerds

 

It should also be mentioned about Lego Castle themes. Why do people like them? Is it because Castles are just really cool? I argue the reason is because the fact that Castles are a part of Fantasy.

People who love D&D and Legos will want to make a Castle because they are related. This then has a hint of things to come for Lotr.

[glenbart]

I was only comparing POTC to LOTR as being movies that have been made into Lego, I tried to clarify that I was making no other comparison by stating LOTR cult following. Even though at 3 hours long I have sat and watched the LOTR movies when i have had the time,which are good, you would not get me watching more than 20 minutes of POTC, there is a pirate called jack and he does pirate things. What I'm really getting at is I suppose is that the book came out in the 60's, then you had the cartoon of the hobbit in the 70's then you had nothing till 2000 or whatever and now we have the hobbit movies, which i am not the first to point out. I don't think you can compare LOTR to Superheroes and Star Wars that have been popular for decades and were more part of more peoples childhood. When I was young my dad had the hobbit book which was about 4 inches thick with no pictures so It was not that inspiring to me. He'd make us watch the hobbit cartoon and tell us what everything was. The reason why Harry potter Lego does so well is because it has sustained interest amongst a lot of people and all kids would have watched it and read the books. I am not saying LOTR is not popular, it was once a nerdy thing, not so now, other than the nerdiness of it all was not forgotten from the 70's and so there will always be that portrayal that LOTR fans are nerds, which you seam to be familiar with. Nowadays LOTR would be considered trendier to kids... Theres no longer that association of grown men dressing up as knights and doing battle re-enactments, is there ? As an investor your only market is the secondary market, therefore popularity is key, rare doesn't enter into it. As I said you may find LOTR fans wanting other merchandise.

[glenbart]

Also, POTC merchandise is in the top 10 of moving selling merchandise of all time, whereas lord of the rings is about 2nd.